so I INTENDED to finish Eyes Like Mine before I started this but... I have no self control (also im being self-indulgent to distract me from grieving :thumbs_up:)

Harvin tugged the brim of his hat down over his eyes, grimacing as he attempted to peer through the pouring rain. Night was falling fast, and with it had come a truly loathsome storm. Their party had been forced to stop early as visibility had reduced to almost nothing, and no amount of huddling under the trees had allowed them to stay dry. Harv had been placed on lookout duty, but... they all knew that if they were attacked, none of them would see it coming.

At least, he thought with grim satisfaction, their prisoners were undoubtedly the most uncomfortable. The noblewoman and her two children had doubtlessly lived in the lap of luxury their entire lives, it seemed unlikely they had ever suffered a rainstorm before. The more miserable they were, the more they were likely to get for a ransom. That - almost - made the soaking worthwhile.

In the distance, lightning split the sky, and thunder rumbled a few moments later. Harv worried momentarily that the tree they took shelter under would be struck, but surely the rain would put it out... right?

"What a night, eh?" Deidre sank down next to him, voice raised to be heard over the pounding of the rain. Harv grunted.

"'Least if we can't see a thing it means no-one can see us."

"Hope th' weather isn't an omen." Deidre peered up at the sky. "My ma 'n pa would call this storm Aether-cursed... say some'un's up t' no good."

"Well, that'd be us." Harv gave his companion a slap on the knee. "Don't you worry. This storm can only help us. Any pursuers'd have to be crazy to try an' hunt us down in this weather."

"True." Behind them, a child's wail split the night. Harv groaned.

"Shut the brat up, will you?" He gestured behind them. Deidre stood, ambling off towards their prisoners again. As the child quieted, Harvin settled against the thin tree trunk he sat against, staring into the oppressive darkness. He blinked, then blinked again, wiping the water off of his face. Was that... light?

Indeed, two pinpricks of light were visible in the darkness. At first, he assumed they were torches, but how could a torch survive in this deluge? Lightning? No, it wouldn't be static for so long. Then what? Was he seeing things?

"Deidre, Aris!" He shouted over his shoulder. "One of you come o'er here!" It took a minute, but eventually Aris came up beside him. "You see that?" He pointed off into the darkness, turning back, but the lights were gone. Harv cursed softly. "Thought I saw a light..."

"D'you want to swap out?" Aris suggested. "You sound exhausted."

"Maybe." Harv leaned forward, then arched his back, feeling his spine pop. "Paranoia's gettin' to me..."

"Deidre and Jamison are gettin' rations together." Aris thumbed over his shoulder. "Why don't you get something to eat?" Harv nodded, pushing himself up. He cast a final look out towards where he'd seen the lights, and froze.

The lights were eyes. And they were much closer now.

He opened his mouth to shout, but the eyes vanished again. He blinked, turning to face Aris, only to see a figure appear in his peripheral and raise a glittering weapon above his head. Harv ducked, falling back as he scrambled for his sword, but Aris beat him to the punch.

Tugging a dagger free, his companion lunged at the figure, swinging for his gut, but the man grabbed his arm effortlessly and twisted it behind his back. Aris shouted in pain as he was forced to the ground, his voice cutting out with a gurgle as the blade of a shimmering pickaxe was shoved through his chest.

"'s Herobrine!" Harv cried out, finally getting his sword free. Herobrine turned at the shout, yanking his pickaxe free of Aris' corpse, and Harv lifted his sword to defend himself before Herobrine disappeared again. Harv spun around, anticipating an attack from behind, but the only response was a thud and Jamison's dying scream from the center of the camp.

"Stop right there!" Deidre shouted. Harv blinked through the rain, trying to find their attacker, only to find him standing stock-still before where Deidre held one of their captives upright. As the little girl squirmed, shoving at the hand that wrapped around her throat, Harv began to make his way towards them, praying to every deity that the rain would mask the sound of his footsteps. "You want her, eh?" Deidre gasped out. "Drop that pickaxe and I won't snap her throat." Herobrine's face, shadowed by his hood, darkened at the order.

For a moment, the man was silent, tense, as Harv crept closer. Finally, the pickaxe thudded to the ground at his side. Deidre grinned, loosening his grip, but his victory was short-lived as the hunter teleported behind him and ripped him away, throwing him onto his back on the ground. Deidre cried out, yanking his sword free, but Herobrine's hand landed in the center of his chest and an ear-splitting crack! sounded through the clearing as lightning coursed through his body.

Abandoning his stealth in desperation, Harv lunged forwards, sword arcing above his head, and the last thing he saw was Herobrine's pickaxe flying back into his hand before he slammed it through his skull.